Haitian Earthquake Task Force

Report of the Inaugural Meeting - January 13, 2010

The UDC Task Force on the Haitian Earthquake Disaster (Haitian Earthquake Task Force) met January 13, 2010, coordinated by the Office of International Programs and Exchange (OPIE).
The Haitian Earthquake Task Force has been charged by the President and Provost to identify a course of action that UDC can undertake in solidarity and response in support of the Haitian People.  The following persons were present:

• Dr. Valerie Epps, Vice President, Division of Student Affairs
• Ms. Tanesia Brown, Undergraduate, Student Government Association
• Dr. Virginia Howard, Professor
• Dr. Marie Racine, Professor, Haitian Origin
• Dr. Marc Christophe, Professor, Haitian Origin
• Alan Etter, Vice President for Communication
• Twyla Jones, OIPE
• Paul Tennassee, OIPE
• Denis G.  Antoine, Chair
• Ambassador of Haiti, via conference call

The following recommendations were developed and are herein presented:

• The Task Force recommends that a message of condolence be sent from the President of UDC to the President and people of Haiti through the Embassy of Haiti.
  
  
• Haitian students at the University would be contacted to determine their circumstances and provide support as appropriate.
  
  
• The Task Force recommends that a semester-long, Haitian Emergency Assistance Fund drive be established through the Pay Pal system or on the University’s Web site, in collaboration with the UDC Foundation.   The Legal Department would be consulted regarding the transfer of financial donations.
  
  
• Proclaim a Haitian Solidarity Day on campus, and invite the Ambassador of Haiti for an appropriate public event.
  
  
• The USGA could identify collection points on campus for student donations after being cleared by the appropriate authorities (e.g., the Campus Book Store, the Cashier, Library, at the Public Security desk on A level, Bldg. 39, and other sites).
  
  
• The task force recommends that a challenge fund competition be organized among the Student Organizations on campus to raise $1000 per organization.   There are twenty (20) student organizations on campus, and the first to meet their challenge would be recognized.  (This could possibly yield $20,000.)
  
  
• Each School and Department of UDC and the Community College will be challenged to each raise no less than the students’ total.
  
  
• It is also recommended that the Student Government Association engage in a single, campus-wide fundraising event (e.g., getting a musical group[s] to perform), as appropriate.
  
  
• Every communication medium of the University will be engaged in the promotion of the UDC Haitian Tragedy response.
  
  
• It is recommended that collection of clothing and food not be a priority, which was determined after consultation with the Ambassador of Haiti who spoke to the meeting by phone.   However, should the students wish to do a clothing drive, there should be partnerships established with Haitian community organizations and or churches regarding the removal and shipment of the items collected.  The Ambassador suggested that NOAH may be contacted in this regard.
  
  
• At the upcoming Convocation, the UDC President would announce the various activities in which the UDC community is engaged to aid the Haitian people.
  
  
• In was also recommended that careful consideration should be given to establishing an affiliation with the State University of Haiti, with the possibility of accommodating a number of students (“adopting” them, so to speak).  We could invite displaced college-age/level students to attend UDC, at least for a limited period of time.  It was recognized that the University would need to think carefully about this relationship.
  
  
• The members also suggested there may be some way for the University to help by facilitating connections between our community and orphaned children.
  
  
• UDC may consider sending a professional human resource person, in cooperation with the consortium that may be mounting, “Relief Missions to Haiti,”—or its own mission.
  
  
• It is recommended that all activities which are undertaken be placed in a short-term, medium-, and long-term framework.  For instance, beyond the immediate actions the University might take to show its concern and support, there are many more ways to help that can make for deeper and richer benefit to Haiti—as well as enhancing and expanding UDC’s academic and service programs.  For example:

• Engineering, infrastructure, agriculture, nutrition, water quality, waste, etc., are critical areas that may benefit from the support and expertise of UDC faculty and students.
• Students could have a variety of service opportunities (or course, not now, but as possible in the mid- or long-term).
• Deans would be surveyed for their immediate and long-term recommendations.